Ginny Anderson, PhD

Fireside Tales: A Pastime in the Dreamtime of the Year – January 2

As the long winter nights envelop us, spreading their mantle of cozying down after holiday bustle, come listen to and take part in the Grandmother’s tales of laughter, of how to do life journeys, of adventures waiting and the reason and courage to do them. There was rhyme and reason embedded in their choices of tales, There were the antics of Coyote, trickster god and teacher. There were clever travelers on quests; there were encounters with the shadow, native teachings of Wisdom in Place. Teachings happened in contexts of story, rather than through rules and regulations, comfort extended in ways that nourished the soul, salved fears.

Traditional storytellers observed the passing events in the community, developed awareness of blessings, of fears, of forces at work in the community; they told stories that helped to open doors to dreaming solutions, tapping the kernel of a problem without necessarily naming it, leaving the listener to connect with the clever character in the story.

Let’s see whose energy shows up – naming the things on our minds, we can comb memory for relevant tales. Inanna’s the one who’s calling to me at the moment, and there’s a sweet way to play with the story, making it ours. She – or someone who inspires your own wandering thoughts - could be your companion in the particular kind of journey she inspires. Maybe it comes in the form of a Soundworm – a song that’s come into your head that doesn’t want to go away until it has had its due.

Popcorn, hot chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, cider, tea.

Bring a comfy blanket, find a space on a long and cozy couch, sit in front of the fire (provided it’s not a Spare the Air Day). Listen to what comes along, and if you’d like to share a story of your own, please feel free.

Ginny Anderson is an eco-psychologist who works with individuals and groups in outdoor settings to help them develop and expand relationships with the natural world we inhabit. Ginny is a licensed psychologist, with a Ph.D. from Stanford. She maintains a practice in the Bay Area.